


A Choice

by Scion_of_Olympia



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Character Bashing, Mostly OC focused, Will Take Liberties with Canon, mentions of main characters, mostly canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:48:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26318206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scion_of_Olympia/pseuds/Scion_of_Olympia
Summary: A son of Oceanus sides with the Olympians in the first Titanomachy, helping usher in the age of the Olympus. Once his identity is discovered, however, his service means nothing as he is treated as an enemy. The Second Titanomachy has rolled around, and he has to make a choice. Serve the Olympians who wronged him, or fight alongside his wayward kin, even if it means the destruction of the world as he knows it.





	1. Setting the Board

**First Titan War**

Thunder crackled in the darkened, cloud filled skies. Lightning struck the ground at random, erratic moments. The earth shook with bone shaking earthquakes. A grey mist filled the air, almost toxic with a soup like quality to it and the seas frothed and churned, massive waves thousands of feet high rose and fell with thunderous cracks. Upon a flat plain hundreds of miles away from Mount Olympus, in the ancient city state of Thessaly, two massive armies clashed. Legions of monsters charged relentlessly against their foes, telekhine sword infantry, hellhound shock cavalry, armored cyclops hoplites, laistrygonian berserkers, drakanae archers, and various other monsters under the command of the Titans hurled themselves against a wall of celestial bronze shields, determined to slaughter anyone impetuous enough to stand in their way towards Mount Olympus.

Those that defied this literal horde of evil were demigods of all lineages. Offspring of Demeter, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Apollo, Ares and Athena and all the other Greek Gods in their tens of thousands had rallied together in the defense of their parents and Western Civilization, though they didn't know that at the time, hailing from multiple city states. All they knew was that if they didn't fight, their world as they knew it would be over. The children of Ares and Athena made up the bulk of the phalanx that held back the tide of monsters, the children of Apollo serving as the archers and medics, and the children of Hephaestus mixed in with the demigods, serving as hoplites in the phalanx with a multitude of other demigods serving as light infantry and as the army's cavalry.

A wall of spears met the enemy charge and hundreds of monsters impaled themselves upon the outstretched celestial bronze spearheads that greeted them. Cries of pain and agony echoed for miles, never ending as the tide of monsters seemingly with abandon slammed into the massive hoplite phalanx, regardless of the risks and losses involved. The demigods fought with a discipline unmatched since the war started. The first rank of hoplites thrust their spears into their foes with lightning speed, the monsters not even knowing they were killed until they started to disintegrate and the pain kicked in. The children of Ares and Athena proved their worth as soldiers as for four hours of non-stop combat they held the line. No cyclops, no laistrygonian or hellhound made them break formation, nor did the battle line buckle. Strong and firm they held back the monstrous tide.

A wave of arrows flew over the phalanx and ripped into the horde of monsters,, tearing through armor plating and shield alike, killing hundreds upon hundreds of them, golden dust caked the muddy, battle-worn ground. A second wave produced the same results, and then a third thinned the monsters' ranks to such a degree that even the cyclops hoplites gave pause before advancing to do battle with the demigods. The children of Apollo weren't veteran archers for nothing, their training and their godly gifts from their sire made them a deadly force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

A war cry came from within the ranks of the monsters, and they parted ways to reveal a sight that made the demigods tense in fear. A small contingent of ten armored demigods allied to the Titans moved through the throngs of monsters, utterly fearless and confident to the point of arrogance. These demigods were those who fell to the sway of the Titans and sought to tear down their parents and restore the rule of the Titans. The bulk of their number consisted of the offspring of the Big Three. Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. The monsters disengaged the phalanx and stood thirty feet away from the demigod hoplites, snarling and shrieking with savagery. The demigods stopped ten feet away from the phalanx, and one of their number stepped forward. This demigod stood in front of the host of monsters and his fellow traitor demigods, clad in armor similar to fish scales, in his hand was a silver trident. "Son of Oceanus, you coward! Show yourself to me so that I may kill you for betraying your family!" he shouted.

Those in the phalanx looked around in confusion. A son of Oceanus? Here? Suddenly the ranks of the phalanx opened to reveal a man moving to stand at the head of the phalanx. He stood around five feet, nine inches tall. He wore a double serpent crested corinthian helmet with a blue horse hair plume, the crests rising high above his helmet, facing each other. An ornate celestial bronze breastplate, archaic compared to the other demigods, covered his tanned chest and some of his lower extremities, swirling patterns that depicted ancient sea monsters adorned the metal, converging upon a sea green trident emblazoned in the middle of the breastplate. His arms were covered from shoulder to forearm in celestial bronze armor pieces, intricate designs and and imagery highlight the excellent craftsmanship. His legs were covered from upper thigh to ankle in armored plates, not as extravagant as the other pieces but still well crafted, the celestial bronze glinting in the light of multiple lightning strikes. In his right hand he held a large trident, made of celestial bronze like the rest of his equipment.

The man shouted, "You are mistaken. I am a son of Poseidon. There are no sons of Oceanus here."

"Liar! We know the aura of the Titans, their children more so. You carry the aura of the eldest. You stand against your father by taking a side, traitor! Oceanus is neutral in this conflict. You break his word by fighting alongside the offspring of the upstart Olympians!"

"Enough!", he shouted, pointing his trident at the demigod. It was true. Oceanus was his sire, but not in the way most would think. He himself was born from Oceanus without a mortal or immortal dam. However, he was not immortal. He had all the traits of the sea titan except immortality. And since these demigods of the Olympians could sniff him out, it would only be a matter of time before the Olympians themselves came after him. No use in hiding behind the sea god anymore. It was better to side with those that were destined to win. He knew that revealing his sire would have consequences, but at the moment he didn't care. "You of all people know that Kronos has gone mad and has corrupted those closest to him. He has become the very thing he accuses the Olympians of being! I don't represent my father in any way, shape or form. However, besmirch his name and I will run you through where you stand!"

The traitor demigods tensed in anger and started towards the son of Oceanus, preparing to gain retribution for his insults, but a silver trident halted their path. The demigod who wielded said trident stared at the demi-titan with curiosity and anger. "I ask you this, son of Oceanus. Why fight for those that will betray you in the end? Surely you know that they will hunt you down and kill you for being what you are. Join your family and help us defeat the gods for good and restore the titans to their rightful place."

The demi-titan shook his head. "I cannot follow my family, not anymore. They have fallen too far for me to even consider their side," he said before grabbing his trident and slipping into a battle stance. "They lost their right as rulers of the mortal world when they began to abuse it. I will not see them restored until they are reformed themselves."

The demigod nodded his head in acceptance. "So be it. I, Attaginos, son of Poseidon, hereby challenge the Son of Oceanus to single combat. Let us see who truly rules the sea."

"I, Alphaeus, son of Oceanus, accept this challenge. You shall sea that you are nothing but a mote of dust compared to the power I wield!"

The two combatants met in the area between the two armies with a flurry of blows from both sides, trying to gain an initial advantage as they put all their strength and energy into their strikes. Alphaeus dodged a rapid strike intended for his neck and thrust his trident towards his opponent's stomach, only to have it redirected to the ground, rolling to the side as a silver trident dug into the spot he was a moment ago, dodging another blow from his foe. He swung his trident, the prongs connecting with the son of Poseidon's right leg, sweeping it from under him, making him kneel. He raised his trident and thrust it at his opponent's chest, but was abruptly flung back a ways by a thunderous blow from the scion of Poseidon's trident to his midsection. His breastplate took the brunt of the blow but it knocked the wind out of him, leaving him gasping for air as he laid on the muddy ground. He began to panic once he heard the footsteps of the demigod getting closer, his movement sluggish. His limbs felt like lead. This demigod was powerful, much more powerful than he remembers any son of Poseidon being. Perhaps he received a blessing from the Titans? He had to find some way to tip the scales in his favor. His struggles increased when he heard the demigod begin to speak.

"Admit it, blood traitor. You and your father are weak," Attaginos said mockingly as he casually made his way to the downed son of Oceanus, enjoying the sight of his opponent struggling. "The only reason your father stays neutral is because he is too weak to fight either side, and chooses to languish in his undersea palace, while the real warriors and rulers of this world fight for what's theirs. I'm not even sure that your father deserves to rule the seas. Maybe after the titans win, I will receive immortality and take your father's domain. I will make you watch as your father fades from existence, and then I will kill you."

Alphaeus roared in rage, rapidly rising to his feet, much to the surprise of Attaginos, who had no time to react as he swung his trident. The trident connected to the demigod's breastplate and sent him flying into the air, the armor denting from the force. Alphaeus charged the downed demigod, furiously thrusting his trident at his opponent, his anger increasing with each time he missed his target. The rage from the demigod's comment nearly made him lose it, making him sloppy. He couldn't land a hit, while a moment ago he could match the demigod and sometimes catch him off guard. He couldn't think beyond his anger and the need to make the demigod pay for the insults. The demigod, taking advantage of his opponent's emotional state, quickly recovered and got under the demi-titan's guard, sweeping him off of his feet and stabbing his trident at Alphaeus' chest, the midsection of the demi-titan's trident blocking his fatal blow.

"The titans will get rid of you once they're done with you, you know that right?" Alphaeus said as he struggled to hold back the demigod's trident. He had to find a way to get back on even ground. If the fight continued like this he would be sent to the Underworld, and he feared what awaited him down there. "They find you demigods disgusting abominations and will exterminate you once they've secured their rule. You all are just pawns in their game. Expendable pawns at best."

The demigod's face twisted with fury, and from what the demi-titan could see, a tiny hint of fear. Fear that his words may be right. "Be silent! Kronos promised me glory and freedom! I am no longer a slave to the petty gods!" he shouted, his words sounding hollow to even himself. His rage only grew when he saw the disbelieving face of the demi-titan.

"You traded one master for another, demigod. Nothing has changed."

The demigod howled furiously and pushed on his trident with all his might. Alphaeus smirked on the inside. They were on even ground. He directed his opponent's trident into the dirt beside his head and pushed the demigod to the side. He rolled to his feet and took a few steps back, narrowly avoiding trident prongs as they swung at his head with reckless fury. As the demigod stood up, both knew that the duel was close to ending. The two combatants were breathing heavily, their breath coming out as mist in the evening air. Sweat dripped off their bodies like rainfall. Their muscles screamed for rest, but were denied as the two rushed each other for one final act. Alphaeus often likened life to a play. A play for the amusement of those immortals who cared to watch and intervene when they felt like it. He hated the analogy, but could find nothing else that would fit.

He blocked a blow to his right side and slashed his opponent's thigh, sending the demigod reeling back. He moved to stab at the demigod's chest, but his trident was redirected and he was met with a powerful blow to his helmet that rocked him. He heard a cry of pain from his opponent, and through his hazy vision saw the son of Poseidon clutching his hand, his trident forgotten on the ground. That mistake would cost him. Dearly.

Alphaeus rammed his trident into his opponent's chest, the prongs piercing his breastplate. The demigod cried out in agony, clutching at the trident, his knuckles white with the amount of force being applied. He stared into the demigod's face, somewhat surprised that tears were rolling down his cheeks. The army of demigods cheered and shouted in victory. The monsters and traitor demigods howled in nameless fury and rage. But he didn't care.

"How old are you?" he asked.

"I-I am four-fourteen winters," the demigod forced out.

"Oh, you poor, gullible fool," Alphaeus lamented. He yanked out his trident and caught the youth as he began to fall. Around him the din of battle began anew. Monsters and demigods fought each other with savagery, but left the area around the two combatants free of the conflict.

"I really was a fool, wasn't I? I was foolish for believing in the promises of immortals. I know now how fickle fate, and immortals, can be. I wonder, will I go to Elysium, or the Fields of Punishment? It terrifies me that I don't know for sure," the demigod rasped before going limp in Alphaeus' arms. The demi-titan laid the demigod on the ground and closed his eyes, laying a drachma on each eye, crossing his arms over his chest with the demigod's trident in his hands. It wasn't fair for this youth to have been wasted so callously. However, it was by his choices that this came to pass. He had respect for the demigod, if only a small amount. He was a good fighter.

"Go now to the afterlife. May you find Elysium," he said before rejoining the battle, weaving through the ranks of monsters and traitor demigods, displaying little effort as he slew dozens. He stabbed a telkhine through its thin breastplate, noting with a twisted sense of humor how it reminded him of a fish being speared, how it flailed around and squirmed before falling still. The telekhine soon turned to golden dust, and as he moved to engage a large laistrygonian his shoulder was grabbed with a crushing grip. He was twisted around and a fist crashed into his helmet, sending him to the ground. He looked up and saw the furious face of the army's commander, sky blue eyes crackling with lightning underneath his crested corinthian helmet.

"You craven dog! Why did you lie about your heritage! How do I know you're not a traitor! Give me a reason not to run you through right now!" he shouted with rage, his spear crackling with lightning leveled at Alphaeus' throat.

Alphaeus didn't raise his trident to defend himself, even though his pride demanded that he utterly crush the offender his respect for said individual tempered such feelings. Antipatros, son of Zeus, leader of the demigod army, had earned Alphaeus' respect early in the war. His honor and martial prowess impressed the demi-titan, and the fact that he cared for his men to such a degree as to nearly sacrifice himself on multiple occasions so that his men could fight another day had left a major impression upon Alphaeus. He admired the demigod, even though he served the Olympians, his actions made him a true warrior in the demi-titan's opinion. It stained his honor to lie to such an individual, but how could one explain that you were the spawn of the enemy you so despise without being thought a spy and killed on the spot.

"I had no ill intentions in lying to you Antipatros. I have served you faithfully and with honor since the war began. You know me-" he said before the spear tip pressed against his throat, cutting him off.

"I thought I knew you, Aphlaeus, if that is your real name. But you have shown me that all that I know may be a lie, concocted by a spawn of the Titans to save his wretched hide from rightful persecution," the demigod said.

"If I were loyal to the Titans, I would have killed all of you by now. There have been many moments in the war where I could've slew you and let the Titans storm Olympus with their armies. I haven't, because I oppose my kin. Because I'm loyal to you, Strategos. If my past actions and words do not sway you, let me prove my worth on the battlefield. I leave the decision to you," the demi-titan said, baring his throat for the spear, a small trickle of blood from where the tip pierced the skin flowed onto the celestial bronze breastplate.

Antipatros' eyebrows scrunched together as he thought. His initial thoughts were to run the traitor through, to rid a potential threat to his men and to the gods. However, listening to the demi-titan had calmed him down considerably and, as he looked back through his memories, found Alphaeus to be correct. There were many moments where he could have been slain by the demi-titan. Moments shared together in the command tent as they discussed strategies for the war together, only the two, without the usual honor guards that accompanied him everywhere he went. Moments on the battlefield where his life could have been taken multiple times, only for Alphaeus to appear and strike down his potential killer. He lowered his spear from Alphaeus' neck, but glared at him with near unchecked anger.

"I will let you live, but only because you have given me no reason to suspect you of treachery. Prove your loyalty to me and to the gods by fighting by our side. Know this, I will be watching you closely, and if you slip up even once, I will personally send your soul to the Fields of Punishment and I will take immense satisfaction in watching you be tortured for all eternity," Antipatros said before rejoining the melee.

Alphaeus rubbed at his neck, opening his flask and using the water to heal his wounds and to rejuvenate himself somewhat and followed after the Strategos into the battle. It wasn't much, but it was a start in regaining the trust he had lost.

The battle raged for another hour before a deafening sound gave them pause. Alphaeus had seen it happen, and he was conflicted. A large bolt of lighting had come from Mount Olympus and had sheared the top off of Mount Othrys. The Olympians had won. The monsters and traitor demigods seemed to have realized this as well. They began to flee into the wilderness in terror, the demigods not pursuing due to their own confusion.

However, both he and the demigods had no time to ponder such things, for a golden aura encased them all and transported them from the muddy fields to Olympus itself. As soon as he saw the thrones and the hearth, he knew that something terrible was going to happen. Much to his horror, all the Olympians were present. The army of demigods, once they realized where they were and who they were staring at, immediately knelt in reverence. Alphaeus took a little bit longer to kneel.

"Rise demigods. Olympus thanks you for fighting on our side against the Titans," a voice said.

It was from the middle throne. Upon the throne sat an imposing figure. He would know those electric blue eyes anywhere. Zeus. King of the Olympians.

"However, for hiding a son of Oceanus from us you all shall be punished. For your service I will not execute the lot of you. You will be frozen in time, your youth made eternal, to lay dormant until Olympus has need of you again. And as for you, son of Oceanus. You will be imprisoned along with them. Be grateful I am allowing you to live at all," the Olympian said.

Immediately there were cries of indignation. How were the demigods to know that Alphaeus was a son of a titan? And why were they being punished for something as stupid as that? But Zeus, fearing the growing power of demigods and terrified of the demi-titan, along with the need to control and dominate, silenced them with a thunderous crack from his lightning bolt. It was the perfect excuse he needed to act. Their children, despite their love for them, needed to be taken down a notch. Too much power, and they could possibly do the same to them as the Olympians had just done to the Titans.

Alphaeus was not really surprised, but was furious at this decision. These Olympians seemed no better than his tyrannical cousins. He gripped his trident and was about to say something, but before he could he felt everything stop and his eyes forcefully close. The entire army of demigods were in such a state as well, and both he and the army were transported away from the throne room. Most of the Olympians stayed in the throne room, awaiting the trials of the Titans, while a few that couldn't be bothered flashed away to enjoy and indulge in their new domains.

"Father, was this really a wise decision?" Athena asked.

"Yes, my daughter. These demigods were becoming too powerful for my liking. They were becoming a threat. The fact that they hid a son of a titan from us only confirmed my suspicions. They need to be kept in check," Zeus answered.

"Of course Father, but I think that this will have terrible consequences in the future. We have made an enemy for life for all those demigods. I just have a bad feeling about all this. We must prepare for retaliation from the demigods if they decide that what we have done is against their interests. They are powerful, as you have said, and could potentially pose a threat to us."

"Have faith daughter. This plan of mine will keep us safe," he said. As the Titans were flashed into the throne room and the trial commenced, the Olympian King wondered if he was too harsh on the demigods. Wondered if his actions would cause him anguish in the future. But those thoughts were quickly banished as he began to chop up his father into a thousand pieces, taking delight in reducing his once proud father into such a decrepit state.

Deep within the bowels of the earth, in a marble chamber imbued with powerful and ancient magics, the demigod army lay in stasis. Unmoving, never aging. Alphaeus, trapped with the demigods, was plagued with dreams of a war. A war to decide the future of the entire world itself, the role he would play in it, and a choice that would set in motion a series of events even the fates couldn't foresee in his future.


	2. First Moves

For thousands of years the army of demigods slept, their bodies immune to the degradation of time, a magically induced coma kept their slumber free of dream or nightmare, save for one unfortunate individual. Horrors unseen since the dawn of time danced and jeered at him in his visions. Servants of the Titans, some he knew well and loved, and others he barely recognized, taunted and spewed insults and slander at him from a distance, belittling him as a lapdog of the Olympians, decrying his defection as the final betrayal, promising never ending torment and torture for his actions against his only family. All the while he pleaded, begged these apparitions to see the reason of his actions, why he had to betray his family, his kith and kin; the insanity behind Kronos' actions, the corruption of ideals once held dearly to the Titans, it was apparent that they had strayed far from the path of just rule. It was only a matter of time before he had to act against them. He groveled, beseeching the shadows to not see him as a traitor. Clear tears ran silently down his cheeks as his words, despite the logic and soundness of each syllable, of which could turn any monster against all that it knew and served willingly, fell on deaf ears, the chittering of ancient tongues long lost to time refuted his words and admonished him relentlessly.

It nearly drove him to madness.

Alphaeus wondered if this was his penance for simply existing, that the Olympians in their zeal to root out anything of Titanic origin that even slightly resembled a threat, placed these visions, these apparitions, these unreal horrors to plague his mind, to deconstruct his mind of all that he was and turn him into a living weapon, an emotionless automata with no conscience or morality; a razor like sword that could efficiently remove any threat that the Olympians deem worthy of their attention and efforts, to be used as they saw fit, and discarded carelessly if the need ever arose. If that was their aim then they were surely succeeding, as over time the whispers began to pierce his mental shields, the words like a poisonous river flowing into the neural pathways of his mind, efforts to stem the tide were made near constantly, but the constant stream of admonishments and temptations made them all in vain. His sanity was balanced on the razor like edge of a blade, off-balanced enough to lean towards either side of the blade towards the depths of madness, but balanced enough to not fall.

All of this torture, this trauma, suddenly stopped. His surroundings began to change, life began to flow within his limbs once again. Inert, listless nerves were aflame once again with sensation. The sounds of warfare greeted his ears, the clang of metal striking metal, the tearing of flesh as it met sharpened steel, the screams of the wounded and dying, the animalistic war cries of warriors and the harsh barking of orders from commanders, the thunderous noise of battle formations, all he knew with an intimacy one would use to describe a relationship. The smell of blood, sweat, adrenaline and fear permeated his nostrils. He wondered if he would ever be rid of such smells, they were as familiar as family, yet he despised them as one would a hated enemy. The metallic twang of blood filled his mouth even though he hadn't been wounded yet, the taste forever etched into his memories.

His eyes were the last sense to awaken from his forced slumber, and what greeted him confused him, but was recognizable to anyone well versed in warfare. A siege, but unlike any he had ever witnessed. Surrounding him were buildings as tall as mountains, some seemed even taller. They were square in appearance, with smaller squares that he inferred were used as windows evenly scattered across its surface. Beneath his feet was rock, but unlike anything he ever encountered. Near pitch black in color, with different colored lines and shapes that he couldn't even begin to guess the meanings of covering a good portion of it, zigzagging throughout the buildings in some sort of pattern. It was all utterly alien to him. But what was recognizable to him were the battle lines and skirmishes happening throughout the streets, and the combatants. Monsters advanced in a near mindless wave of violence, shrieks and howls of savage blood lust echoed off of the buildings around them, creating a cacophony of sound near deafening to most. He recognized them all, but something was different about them. Their tactics, or lack thereof, were very primitive, simplistic in nature, a far cry from those he had fought before in the war. They wore little to no armor, and what they wore were simple plates of celestial bronze held in place by thin string over vital areas, mainly the chest.

Those that fought them astounded, and at the same time saddened, Alphaeus. They appeared to be youths, dressed in orange shirts, with what looks to be training armor adorning their figures, with diminutive crested helms that seemed to be a parody of the helm used by the city state of Corinth. They fought in phalanxes where they could, fighting in loose formations more akin to mobs where they couldn't, hacking and slashing at their foes with desperation and fury. Why were youths so prevalent with the Olympians. It seemed like they couldn't acquire actual adults to do their dirty work for them, they had to use inexperienced children and teenagers barely on the cusp of adulthood for nearly everything. The demigod army was the only exception to that trend, unfortunately.

He looked around, noticing the others around him awaking from their slumber. To his right Antipatros stirred, awoken like his brethren by the sounds of battle. Alphaeus, and the entire demigod army, suddenly received a message. The voice that delivered the message was an all encompassing sound, deeper than a fog horn, enveloping all other noises in its sonorous bass tone. Its message imparted unto the demigods a stream of information that after a few mind numbing seconds stopped, allowing them to process. Those that wore the orange shirts were demigods, like them, and the Titans had returned for a second time to wage war on Olympus. The message contained instructions, simple and concise.

**"Aid the demigods. Defend Olympus."**

Needing no further prompting, the demigod army rushed into battle with discipline and skill, surprising both the demigods in the orange shirts, and the monsters that faced them. The wave of armored bodies crashed into the group of monsters, hundreds of telekhines, lastrygonians, empousai, drakanae, and hellhounds were slain in short order, the swelled ranks of monsters reeled from the onslaught of celestial bronze. Alphaeus dodged a wild, overhead swing from a particularly large lastrygonian, noting how easy it was to read his attack and avoid it. Those he fought before were more skilled, at the very least they didn't project that they were trying to take your head off before trying to do so. He blocked a strike aimed for his side and quickly dispatched his opponent, propelling himself towards his foe and ramming his trident through the giant's skull with great force, blood and brain matter spraying those behind the two combatants. He watched with mild disappointment as the corpse turned into golden dust, then he moved on. For the rest of the short engagement, his mind was on autopilot, he didn't need to actually try to kill his opponents, they flung themselves at him with seemingly no plan, becoming skewered on his trident as he effortlessly broke their defenses and countered their attacks.

It seems as if those in the demigod army felt as he did. As he fought, he heard grumblings amongst some that the monsters were too easy, their skills making the battle seem like training at best. They felt no real danger from these monsters, but their discipline and experience kept them from acting impetuously. When the battle ended with the last monster exploding into golden dust, Antipatros ordered the army to reform, near an intersection, and tasked individual formations with guarding any pathway that lead to the army. A ways away, the group of orange clad demigods stared in unabashed awe at how quickly the large group of monsters were taken out, at the seeming ease in which they did so. They soon left when called by others a few blocks down to aid them, but not without giving the armored men a thank you wave, which the armored demigods barely acknowledged.

A very basic operations camp was set up, the officers taking up residence in a nearby building, they were tasked by Antipatros to help him figure out what in Hades was going on, and where were they. So far, thanks to a nearby map and the info imparted by the message, they learned that they were nowhere near Greece, or anywhere even remotely familiar. They were in a place called New York, a large city in the nation of America. There were demigods, from a place called Camp Half-Blood, and they were defending Olympus, which was now in New York, from the armies of the Titans, whom have returned for round two. A second Titanomachy. Antipatros almost couldn't believe it. As the commander was listening to the reports being given, he noticed out of a window the all too familiar figure of Alphaeus, and all the emotions surrounding that man came to the fore. He needed to deal with this now, or else it will distract him. His earlier words to the man had been words of haste, without great lengths of thought put into them. In order for cohesion and order to remain in the army, and for him to have any peace of mind, he had to address the walking situation that was Alphaeus.

As Alphaeus was wandering the camp, he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a familiar voice. "ALPHAEUS!" a voice shouted, all eyes turned towards him as the figure of Antipatros furiously strides towards him, two honor guards flanking either side. He turned to look at his commander, slightly shrinking at the anger on his face. He saluted out of respect, his fist tapping where his heart would be on his chest plate, but that seemed to only inflame the man's anger. "We need to talk, now," he ordered in a dreadfully calm voice that sent chills up Alphaeus' spine. He had grown to fear that calm tone, seeing first hand the fate of whatever caused the commander to use such a tone, be they enemy spies, combatants, or a fellow soldier being disciplined. It never ended well. It was a tone only reserved for those truly deserving of it.

He shuddered, but nodded, and followed Antipatros when he turned and headed towards where the officers were, the honor guards stabbing him with undisguised glares of revulsion and betrayal as they walked alongside him. He deserved it. He had lied to them about his heritage, something that he shouldn't have lied about. He betrayed the trust of everyone in the army, and he was the spawn of their enemy. They had every right to hate him. He received similar glares from passing soldiers as they entered the command building, the honor guards closing the doors behind them. Antipatros dismissed the officers, but kept the honor guards, and that stung, but Alphaeus expected it.

He waited for the other to speak, but after a long moment of silence, moved to make his voice heard, but a raised hand stilled the question on his tongue.

"Alphaeus. You were my greatest confidant, my trusted second. A person I could count on to seize victory when no one else could. A dependable soldier. I even considered you a friend. I had hoped that I was viewed with the same level of respect and trust as I did you, a false hope. I thought I knew you," Antipatros muttered, his voice becoming more intense with each word that passed his lips. Alphaeus winced at the use of past tense, feeling immense guilt and sadness. He regretted not telling him the moment he met him. It would've saved him from so much trouble. "But now, I don't know what to think. My thoughts are muddled. My duty compels me to slay you on the spot, to put your head on a spear and parade it before the enemy and ally alike; a lesson for those whom may hide traitorous thoughts within their hearts."

A tired sigh escaped the commander. "What stills my hand from such a course are your actions. Your past deeds and acts of valor have lessened the sting of your betrayal to a degree that I no longer harbor murderous rage against you. Your previous words ring true. You have served me with honor since the war's beginning. Perhaps something happened that caused you to side against your kin, I don't know, but you have fought for Olympus for three years, unwavering in its defense, ferocious in wounding and impeding the Titan forces, loyally fighting alongside those that would rip your heart from your chest without a second thought. I admire and respect that."

A small, wry smile grew on Antipatros' face, which Alphaeus returned. It wasn't easy hearing someone you hold in high esteem talk about beheading you, but at the same time praising you. It was odd if he were honest with himself. It made him somewhat happy that he held such views, that his past actions had stayed his hand from acting with emotion and violence.

"What I want to know is, why? Why did you hide something like this? From me of all people?"

The answer to that was a simple one.

"Your reaction on the battlefield was the least violent of all my expectations. If I told you who I was, and whom my sire was, I feared that a reaction that was much worse that what you have already shown me would have happened. Frankly, I feared that I would be gutted on the spot and tossed to the side without any chance to explain myself. How could I? Titanic blood runs through my veins. My sire is your enemy, even if he is neutral. I am a possible rival, a threat to Olympian rule. I'm glad that my service has stayed your hand from rending my head from my body," Alphaeus admitted with reluctance.

A look of incredulity and sadness marred Antipatros' face.

"I had hoped that our friendship was strong enough for you to disregard the risks and tell me. If I had done anything to shatter your trust, then I am truly sorry. If you had told me during a moment of peace, instead of war, my reaction wouldn't have been as emotional as it had been. You are my friend, and I am disheartened that you couldn't have shared this with me in better circumstances. You can come to me with anything, my brother, you need not fear reprisal," he said, chuckling after Alphaeus gave him a pointed look. "Alright, not too much reprisal, but enough if the situation warrants it. Remember how you accidentally speared me in training?"

Alphaeus' flushed face of embarrassment said everything Antipatros needed to hear, and he doubled over with laughter.

"Th-the ac-acting Strategos nearly flayed you alive for that stunt," chuckled the Strategos with a shit eating grin.

"I couldn't face anyone after his punishment. I was the laughing stock of the army for a few months," Alphaeus admitted with an acute sense of embarrassment.

Antipatros' laughter soon died down, and the two men clasped arms, a newfound sense of brotherhood in each other's eyes.

"I hope from now on that you come to me about these things, no matter how big or small Alphaeus."

"Likewise brother. I may not be the best at comforting, but I am a great listener. I'm glad we're on good terms again."

"I couldn't agree more."

With the issue out of the way, Antipatros felt that he could finally continue with the directive given by the Olympian Council. Defend Olympus. And with that thought, he began to plan.


	3. Fusion of Kith and Kin

Alphaeus, Antipatros, and an honor guard of twenty heavily armed and armored hoplites, sons of Ares, made their way through the streets of New York, intent on finding the resident demigods. Antipatros deduced that in order to effectively defend Olympus, they needed to coordinate with those familiar with the area. Blindly wandering around unfamiliar territory, beset on all sides by servants of the Titans, will do little to defend the seat of power of the Olympians. Alphaeus was feeling somewhat ill at ease with this plan, despite seeing its merit. The demigods seemed ill equipped to fight a small skirmish, much less a full blown assault by the Titans.

"Strategos, if I may voice my concerns?" he asked.

"You may," the son of Zeus responded.

"I feel as if we would be better off without interacting with these demigods, these children fighting a war in place of men. They are not soldiers, much less fighters. What will they contribute to the war effort that we couldn't do and more? We should leave them be, and make our own plans to defend Olympus," he stated, the last word filled with venom.

Antipatros took notice of this.

"Calm yourself, son of Oceanus. We are loyal to Olympus. Even if you do not share our love of the gods, attempt to repress your anger when in the company of the others," he warned, shifting the weight of the aspis on his back before speaking. "As far as the demigod children, we have to interact with them. It is imperative that we do. As you say, they are but children fighting a man's war. If we are to do our duty as defenders of Olympus, we must intervene on their behalf to fight the common foe that they will surely be defeated by without our aid. If we fight on our own, we deprive the current scions of the gods the best opportunity to succeed, thus shirking out duty to defend Olympus."

Alphaeus stared at him for a few seconds, somewhat angered, but unsurprised. Antipatros was always his better in intellectual discourse, deflecting his criticism with great prose and outmaneuvering him in every attempt he made to prove otherwise with graceful ease. He just wasn't on par with his Strategos. In a fight however, they were equals, that has been proven multiple times throughout the Titan War with mock duels and sparring sessions. They were so evenly matched, he doubted that he could beat him without outside help. They would be fighting for hours until they dropped from exhaustion. Fighting together, they were nigh unstoppable unless whoever they were facing fielded soldiers of equal skill and experience, which was rare. Alphaeus' eyebrows knitted together, trying to find the correct words to say to his Strategos without offending the man or the Olympians he served.

"Tch, fine. I still feel as if we can do more without hovering over them like mothering hens," he settles on

"This will benefit us more than anything that I can come up with on my own. You'll see."

The two lapsed into a comfortable silence as they moved throughout the city, small things every now and then catching their eye. As they walked, Alphaeus began to think about the implications of recent events. They had been arrested from their homeland and brought to a foreign land that they don't know anything about, taken from their lives, family and friends without even a chance to prepare. Most of them had sons, daughters, nieces and nephews. Now, they had nothing, their family naught but dust and bones, but the comrades by their side, and soon they too will be taken by the ravages of time and war, til there is nothing left, and they are alone. It was almost maddening. It terrified him, what could possibly happen if the demigods are given time to realize what has just happened to them. He glanced at his Strategos, noting the man staring ahead with a passive expression, his thoughts unreadable to him, stoic and strong.

It needs to be addressed, it is too massive of an issue to not consider it in any capacity, but finding a time for it in the middle of a siege, coupled with the youths that defended Olympus and their inexperience, events like these rarely provide opportunities to have a discussion, and made a note to mention this to his Strategos, preferably in private, away from the others. The wrong person catching wind of this could potentially cause major disruptions to the defense of Olympus. He even considered the possibility of many of them turning traitor against the gods for this, but brushes this aside. The men were loyal to the Strategos, possibly more so than to the gods. They would follow his lead, even if they were against it.

An empty tunnel to their right caught their attention, more so the sounds of marching than anything else. The sight that greeted their eyes gave them pause. Hundreds upon hundreds of monsters marched in loose order towards them. Telkhines carrying short, curved swords and small rectangular bucklers, their torso covered in simple, celestial bronze plates, laistrygonian giants wielding large swords and iron clubs garbed in leather armor, their arms covered in tattoos of slaughter and cannibalism, scythian dracanae wielding recurve bows, spears and shields, their upper body covered in green, scale armor, and at their backs was a horde of hellhounds, the massive predators snarling and howling as they walked behind, jaws filled with hellishly jagged, razor sharp teeth snapped in hunger and anticipation.

"Strategos, might I suggest a retreat? We can't fight them, they outnumber us greatly."

Antipatros moved to respond, but a scoff of derision from a son of Ares cut him off.

"A scion of the Titans indeed. You coward. You see overwhelming odds. I see a chance to actually use my skills for once since we've arrived. We've done nothing but slaughter helpless lambs. I will not flee, and none of us shall either," the hoplite proclaimed, his brothers nodding in affirmation.

The son of Zeus and the son of Oceanus looked at each other. Scions of Ares indeed. Antipatros could see the underlying anger in Alphaeus' gaze. The demi-titan always took such comments personally, an affront to his honor, and dealt with the offenders with force. He gave the scion of Oceanus a look that said 'not now, later', and with a sigh, the demi-titan complied.

"Well, we make our stand here. Since you cannot fight in the phalanx, you are to fight just ahead of the phalanx, making sure that they are unable to form a disciplined formation, and if you see the opportunity, taking out any officers that they muster. We will form a phalanx and hold back the horde until the situation is no longer tenable. If that is to happen, you are to fall back as soon as I give the order, understood?"

"Yes Strategos," everyone responded.

"Good," he said, fitting his aspis onto his arm and grabbing the shaft of his spear. "Hoplites! Form phalanx!"

As soon as the order was given, the hoplites immediately formed on the Strategos, a line of celestial bronze shields facing towards the oncoming horde, spearheads itching to spill blood of the Titan's servants. Alphaeus stood just ahead of the phalanx, beyond the wall of spears, trident in hand, muscles tensed as the enemy drew closer. The enemy, upon actually seeing the phalanx, rapidly increased their pace, nearly running as they made to fight the foe to their fore, shouts and war cries of excitement echoing off of the tunnel walls, creating a cacophony of shrieks and howls more akin to the cries of the damned. A particularly large laistrygonian shoved his way to the front of the group and immediately began to sprint, his rage filled gaze locked on Alphaeus.

"Trident wielder! I know you! We have unfinished business! FIGHT ME!" the giant roared, hefting his iron club.

The demi-titan had no clue who this giant was, nor what business needed tending to, but he was not one to deny a challenge. Besides, he needed to blow off some steam anyways. The hoplite's comment had not gone unnoticed, and he had to restrain himself from throttling the son of Ares right then and there, his Strategos was a good deterrent, so this was a good outlet for his emotions.

He rolled to the side, dodging the laistrygonian's oncoming strike, the club cracking the concrete. Rolling to his feet, he charged the giant, swiping at the giant's exposed side, the trident prongs leaving three gashes in the giant's armor, blood seeping from them told him he struck his mark. The giant roared in pain and anger, swiping his club at the demi-titan. He jumped back, the club nicking his breastplate, sending him tumbling to the ground. He got back to his feet just in time to raise his trident to block the overhead blow of the giant.

His arms strained to hold back the blow, the giant's strength was considerable. He, however, was stronger, the blood of Oceanus ran through his veins, and he would not be beaten by a mere giant. Alphaeus pushed the giant back, said giant grunting in surprise, before going on the offensive, wide swings and precise thrusts kept the giant on the defensive, not giving his foe a chance to breathe. This is what he lived for, the thrill of battle, the adrenaline coursing through his veins, his heart pounding in his ears. If nothing else, he felt pride when he beat an opponent, showing that he was the better fighter. He pushed his advantage, ducking under a fast swing, then driving his trident through the giant's calf, piercing armor and flesh, snapping bone in twain. The giant roared in pain, and reached to grab his attacker, the demi-titan evading the offending limb.

The laistrygonian hobbled back from his foe, clutching at its bleeding calf, glaring daggers at Alphaeus. The demi-titan's attention was arrested from his foe by a rogue telekhine charging him. As his foe turned to deal with the new threat, the giant took its chance, winding his arm back and swinging his club with all the strength he could muster, certain that he would crush his enemy.

He had been slain by this particular warrior early in the first Titanomachy without being able to prove himself to his kin, and the millennia in Tartarus was made arduous because of this pawn of the gods. Well, he was about to redeem himself by striking down this servant of the Olympians.

As Alphaeus prepared to strike down the telekhine, a feeling of danger arrested his thoughts, his muscles reacting without prompting, rolling to the side, his armor scraping against the pavement. He looked up just in time to see the iron club turn the unfortunate telekhine's upper half into a golden red mist, the rest of the body slumping over before turning into golden dust. He moved to stand, but was forced to his knees by a powerful blow from the giant, his trident blocking the iron club aiming for his skull.

The giant reared his arm back. One final blow to finish off his foe. Alphaeus moved to dodge it, but actions from his friend and Strategos negated any action on his part. As the giant swung, a bolt of lightning struck the giant, killing it on the spot, the corpse flung into the reaving masses of monsters by the sheer force of the strike, a loud, almost deafening crackle of thunder followed.

He turned to his friend, a smirk of satisfaction gracing the son of Zeus' features, which annoyed him.

"I had him! The giant was mine to slay!"

"You may thank me later!" the son of Zeus responded cheekily as he stabbed a hellhound through the skull as it lunged at him, the motion mechanically precice and fluid.

He huffed at his friend's antics before getting to his feet. He dodged a dracanae's spear and retaliated by striking at the monster's throat, the prongs piercing the monster's scales with ease, said monster turning to dust as she clawed at the trident's shaft. He continued to thin the monster's ranks; telkhines, dracanae and the occasional empousa falling to his trident as he weaved through their ranks with speed. He would occasionally sneak glances towards his Strategos to see how they fared, and he was, once again, unsurprised. The line of hoplites held back the hordes of monsters with unyielding strength and ferocity, spears striking with lightning speed and accuracy, shields and armor unbowed and unbroken.

A layer of golden dust lined the pavement in front of the phalanx, the monsters charged recklessly towards the outstretched spears, neither caring of the danger, nor if they actually made any effect on the battle. A mindless desire to kill the scions of the Olympians drove their actions, which had dire consequences. Their numbers, once in the hundreds, now dwindled to pitiful levels as they hurled themselves at the wall of spears and shields, and those that remained took notice. Dracanae hissed in warning to the others, halting their actions, save for the laestrygonians, who couldn't be bothered to hear what small snake women had to say, and charged on as their comrades halted in their tracks.

"Thisss tunnel isss heavily guarded. Our ssspy was wrong. Fall back!" a dracanae ordered.

The dracanae were the first to flee, soon followed by the impressionable telkhines who, unwilling to be left behind by their superiors, hurried after them as fast as their flippered feet could carry them. The hellhounds remained, unsure of what to do, before ultimately deciding to follow the fleeing Titan forces. The laestrygonians, unwilling to admit defeat by retreating, soon perished against the forest of spears, the last one being slain by Antipatros, the demigod thrusting his spear through the giant's neck faster than the giant could react, the giant choking on the spear before turning to golden dust.

"A fine fight. I actually felt somewhat challenged, though these breeds of monsters seem lesser than their other kin," the son of Ares commented, brushing golden dust off of his armor with disdain.

"They will return. I am sure of it. This force arrived with intelligence stating that this tunnel was unguarded, and they will come back with greater numbers," Antipatros asserted.

The son of Ares snorted in contempt. "If this is what they are capable of, then I fear we will die of boredom than by their blades. From this, I doubt the capabilities of those who we seek to parlay with, since these creatures are of great difficulty to them, their skills in battle must be subpar."

Alphaeus, despite disliking the son of Ares for besmirching his honor previously, couldn't help but agree with his conclusion, sharing a look with Antipatros, conveying his opinion of the demigods with no obfuscation. The Strategos sighed, frustrated that more of his retinue were sharing the views of Alphaeus, even if they may not realize it, which made facilitating diplomacy between the two groups even more difficult. He would have to emphasize the common ground the two groups shared. Fighting the Titans, and saving Olympus.

"Enough! I will not have my men disparage the scions of the gods. We share a common purpose, and we must cooperate to defend Olympus from the Titans. This is our sole purpose, and theirs as well. For cooperation between us and them to work, we must see them as our equals," Antipatros addressed, and after getting another look from Alphaeus, huffed, but continued, "even if they are not in terms of fighting skill and experience."

Disgruntled murmurs soon followed, but the hoplites ultimately decided to follow their Strategos, their loyalty stronger than their personal feelings on who the Strategos decided to ally himself with. As Antipatros moved to order his men to ready themselves, as he wanted to find the demigods before another attack came unbidden, an arrow tip made itself known as it poked his neck, the demigod stilling all movement. His eyes looked for the perpetrator, and found a young girl, bedecked in silver from head to toe, staring at him with unveiled disgust and wariness.

Each hoplite found themselves surrounded by young girls, bows drawn and arrows aimed, all garbed in silver clothing. Alphaeus himself had aimed his trident at one of the girls that moved to surround him, the speed of his movements surprising the girl, but was ultimately forced to lower his trident when three bows were aimed at his neck.

A lone girl walked towards the group, a silver circlet with the unmistakable aura of the gods on her brow, framed by short, spiked hair. In her right hand was a spear, a plain thing, not any different than those carried by the rank and file hoplites, that crackled with arcs of lightning, chock full of destructive energy. In her left was a sight that made the demigods shy away from it, as much as the arrows at their necks allowed. It was Aegis, the shield with the visage of Medusa crafted upon its surface. The celestial bronze face seemed to bleed fear from its metallic skin, a choking miasma of terror and dread that tapped into an inherent, primal fear that urged them to flee in sheer animal panic before it, a smog of utter wrongness that warped all rational thought and action in those that looked upon it. Truly, a weapon of psychological warfare to be feared and respected by those that faced it

Alphaeus didn't experience the full effect of the shield, as his demigod comrades, but he felt the need to distance himself from it all the same, the shield radiating an aura of uneasiness and discomfort that set him on edge.

She wore a shirt that confused him. It was a picture of a woman with an arrow through her head, with the words 'Death to Barbie' written underneath the image. Over the shirt was a black leather jacket, and from her ear lobes hung skull earrings. Fashion has certainly changed over the millennia.

The girl stopped before Antipatros, both demigods staring each other down, exuding authority and power.

Her head tilted to the side, an expression of thought clear upon her face, electric blue eyes narrowed. "Son of Zeus?"

Antipatros nodded. "Daughter of Zeus?"

She nodded.

Both demigods acknowledged each other as equals and as leaders, and she looked at the hoplites, taking note of the golden dust covering the ground and the spear tips.

"I take it you're against the Titans?"

"We fight for Olympus, willing to lay down our lives for its safety," Antipatros proudly proclaimed.

She snickered at that. This guy looks like a LARPer, fully into his act.

"Ok, ok, I believe you," she responded. "Though I have to ask, where did you come from? I wasn't aware that the gods had anything else up their sleeve."

Antipatros moved to speak, but Alphaeus cut him off.

"We came from Greece, fought the armies of the Titans at the foothills of to a standstill, saving Olympus and the gods," he stated.

"Be quiet, disgusting male! You are silent when the lieutenant of Artemis speaks!" a girl to his right snapped.

He turned, greeting her with a baleful gaze which promised pain and agony, the insult only inflaming his ire. "Take heed of how you speak! You know not who you address!"

"Enough!" both scions of Zeus harshly admonished.

"Children of Ares," she murmured under her breath.

Antipatros hummed in agreement.

"Ok, to make things easier, I will send a few of my hunters to escort you to our camp. There you will explain everything to kelp for brains, which I imagine will take some time, which is in short supply. I have to make sure that no monster gets through here for as long as possible, so I and the rest of the hunters will remain here," she said, informing the hunters of her plans.

"Fair enough," he said "However, I have yet to know your name."

Some of the hunters scowled and moved to plant their knives in his throat, but a raised hand from the girl stopped their actions in their tracks.

"Thalia, and your name?"

"Antipatros."

' _Oh jeez, he's really into this isn't he?'_ she thought.

"Nice to meet you. I hope to see you after all this is over with, I don't get to meet many siblings."

"Likewise. An existence of solitude is the fate many of our siblings receive, and I do not wish to be like mine kin who dwell alone atop a mountain peak, forever apart from those who are family by virtue of parentage."

She hummed in confusion, but acceptance. She would rather not make the effort of deciphering the meaning of what he said, instead, she would just nod and go along with whatever he was trying to get across. His manner of speech reminded her of Zoe somewhat, eliciting a pang of grief, and moved to discuss the details of their chosen task with her subordinates, eager to drown out the pain of the memory with the dust of monsters.

"Well Antipatros, you got what you wanted. These whelps need to be taught respect, however, so I still have doubts," Alphaeus stated sourly, still nursing an ego wounded by being snuck up on, and by youths no less!

"This will ensure the survival of Olympus, I am certain of it."


End file.
